C O N T E N T S. S a n a t h a n a S a r a t h i

Transcription

1 MAY 2009

2 S a n a t h a n a S a r a t h i Devoted to the Moral and Spiritual Uplift of Humanity through SATHYA DHARMA SANTHI PREMA AHIMSA Vol.: 52 Issue No. 5 Date of Publication: 1st May MAY Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust, Publications Division Prasanthi Nilayam Printed and Published by K.S. RAJAN on behalf of the owner, Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust, Publications Division Prasanthi Nilayam , Anantapur District (A.P.), Printed at M/s Rajhans Enterprises, 136, 4th Main Road, Industrial Town, Rajaji Nagar, Bangalore , Karnataka. Published at Prasanthi Nilayam subscriptions@sssbpt.org editor@sssbpt.org For Audio Visual / Book Orders: orders@ sssbpt.org ISD Code : 0091 STD Code : Telephone : Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust Telefax : General enquiry : Sri Sathya Sai University - Administrative Office : / Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School : Sri Sathya Sai Primary School : SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram, Puttaparthi : SSSIHMS, Whitefield, Bangalore : Annual Subscription acceptable for 1, 2 or 3 years. English Inland (India): Rs 75/- (12 issues) Overseas: Rs 850/- or U.S. $19 or U.K. 13 or 13 or CAN $22, AUS $26 Telugu Inland Rs 60/- (12 issues) Overseas: Rs 550/- or 9 or US $13 or 9, CAN $15 or AUS $17 Note: Please do not send currency notes in postal covers. For the Attention of Sanathana Sarathi Subscribers. The month and year of expiry of your subscription is indicated next to the subscription number on the mailing wrapper. Three asterisk marks (***) appearing after your subscription number indicate that you should renew your subscription immediately. Please quote your present subscription number while renewing the subscription. All subscriptions and other correspondence should be addressed to The Convener, Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust, Publications Division, Prasanthi Nilayam Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh, India. Editor G.L. ANAND Cover Page Photograph: Mahabharata scene as portrayed in Bhajan Mandir, Prasanthi Nilayam. C O N T E N T S It is only when we grow in intelligence together can there be unity. We should move and work with unity. No one should hate anybody. If any thought of hatred comes to you for a moment, you should brush it aside the very next moment and develop the feeling of unity. It is only love that unites all. Love Unites All Bhagavan s Sri Rama Navami Discourse Celebrations at Prasanthi Nilayam A Report Experiencing Bhagavan s Divinity Interview No Society can Exist without Morality Bhagavan s Discourse on 25th February 2009 The Avatar of Love and Compassion Effulgence of Divine Glory News from Sai Centres Yearning for Krishna Chinna Katha Official Websites of Prasanthi Nilayam Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust: Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust, Publications Division: Radio Sai Global Harmony: Bal Vikas Wing of Sri Sathya Sai Organisation, India:

3

4 B H A G A V A N S S R I R A M A N A V A M I D I S C O U R S E LOVE UNITES ALL Sweeter than sugar, tastier than curd, sweeter indeed than honey is the Name of Rama. Constant repetition of this sweet Name gives one the taste of divine nectar itself. Therefore, one should contemplate on the Name of Rama incessantly. (Telugu Poem) Bharat is the motherland of many noble souls who earned great name and fame in all the continents of the world. This is the land of valorous people who vanquished foreign rulers and attained independence. This is the land which excelled in music, literature and other fine arts. Having been born in this great land of Bharat, oh boys and girls, it is your sacred duty to protect its rich cultural heritage. (Telugu Poem) G R M H T HE BHARATIYAS TODAY DO not know their greatness just as the elephant does not know its own strength. The elephant meekly obeys the command of the mahout; it sits when the mahout asks it to sit and stands when it is asked to do so. In the same manner, the Bharatiyas are imitating the western culture under the infl uence of western education. Make Trust in the Self as the Basis of your Life The Bharatiyas are endowed with great potentialities and their hearts are full of devotion. There is none among them who does not chant the divine name from his very birth. They name their children after various names of God, thereby remembering God all the time. There is no village in Bharat where there is no temple of Rama. Even small hamlets have at least a hutment where the villagers place the idols of Sita, Rama and Lakshmana and worship them. Right from the beginning, the Bharatiyas gave more importance to spirituality than to worldly and material pursuits. The main factor that is responsible for the peace and progress of Bharat is the devotion of the Bharatiyas for God. Many countries of the world are in the grip of great problems and diffi culties. But Bharat is by far free from such problems. The people of Bharat may have some fi nancial problems, but they are happily leading their life, totally surrendering to the Will of God. The Bharatiyas have made their trust in the Self as the basis of their life rather than material possessions, property and wealth. In fact, their entire life is founded on this trust and they have achieved progress in spite of many diffi culties and deprivations. Having based their life on the trust in the Self, how can the Bharatiyas give importance to worldly and materialistic pursuits? Even in their day-to-day conversation, they refer to their Self, 130 May 2009

5 saying, Only my Atmarama (inner Self) knows this. We should not limit the Avatars like Rama and Krishna to a particular name or form. These names were given to them after their birth. They were not born with these names. The Bharatiyas realise the truth that God is the resident of man s heart. That is why they are able to withstand all diffi culties and sufferings and lead their lives happily. Sukhadukhe Samekruthwa Labhalabhau Jayajayau (one should remain equal-minded in happiness and sorrow, gain and loss, victory and defeat), says the Gita. Pleasure and pain are part of human life. Whenever they have to encounter sorrows and diffi culties, the Bharatiyas consider them as the harbingers of happiness. They have attained exalted positions due to such noble feelings. Their faith in God is unshakeable even in the face of such mishaps as bomb blasts, fl oods and plane crashes. Those who base their life on faith in God will never encounter sorrows, sufferings and diffi culties. Their diffi culties will come and go like passing clouds. One who is born in this world is sure to die one day or the other. Nothing is permanent in this world. Only one thing is permanent and that is the Atma or the Self. People aspire for liberation, heaven and Vaikuntha but even they are not permanent. The only thing that is permanent is the Atma and this is the only truth. You may see so many forms People want peace but what they get is pieces only! Due to the lack of peace, love has become non-existent in man. Therefore, we should develop peace. Then only will love develop in us. When love takes root in us, we will have no enemies. Then all will become our friends. Hence, man should develop love and consider all as his brothers and sisters. This is the main essence of the Ramayana. in this world but none of them is permanent except the Atma. Bond of Love between Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata and Satrughna Let us now dwell upon the Ramayana. Dasaratha had three wives Kausalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi. Kausalya fi rst gave birth to a female child who was named Santha. Dasaratha gave her to one of his friends, who adopted her as his daughter. She was married to Sage Rishyasringa May

6 who conducted the Putrakameshti Yajna (sacrifi ce for the birth of a son) as desired by Dasaratha. When oblations were offered in the sacrifi cial fi re with chanting of related Mantras for the Yajna, an effulgent being came out of the fi re and handed over a vessel containing Payasam (sweet pudding) to Dasaratha with the instructions to distribute it equally among his queens. Accordingly, Dasaratha distributed the Payasam to Kausalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi. Kausalya and Kaikeyi took their share of the pudding to their respective Puja rooms. Each of them was happy thinking that her son would be the future king of Ayodhya. But Sumitra had no such claims. She was a paragon of virtues. Her name Su-mitra itself signifi es that she was a good friend to one and all. She carried her bowl of pudding to the terrace and placed it on the parapet wall while drying her hair in the sun. Suddenly, an eagle swooped down and carried away the bowl. Sumitra ran down and informed Kausalya and Kaikeyi about what had happened. Kausalya and Kaikeyi came to her rescue and shared their pudding with her. Kausalya gave half of her share to Sumitra. Kaikeyi did the same. In due course, Kausalya gave birth to Rama, Kaikeyi to Bharata, and Sumitra to Lakshmana and Satrughna. Kausalya and Kaikeyi had one son each, whereas Sumitra had two sons. The sons of Kausalya and Kaikeyi were happily playing in their cradles whereas Sumitra s sons were crying all the time, and were not taking milk. Sumitra was at a loss to know the reason for their crying. Ultimately, she went to Sage Vasishtha and told him about her predicament. Sage Vasishtha closed his eyes. His yogic vision enabled him to know the truth. He said to Sumitra, As you partook of the sacred pudding given by Kausalya, you gave birth to Lakshmana who is an Amsa (part) of Rama. Similarly, Satrughna is born out Dharma is born out of Sathya, and from Dharma emerges peace and from peace emerges love. Where there is love, there can be no hatred. One who has love will adhere to non-violence. Sathya, Dharma, Santhi, Prema and Ahimsa are the five cardinal human values. One who practises these human values is a human being in the true sense of the term. Even if he lacks one of these, he cannot be called a perfect human being. of the share of pudding given to you by Kaikeyi. So, he is a part of Bharata. Put Lakshmana by the side of Rama and Satrughna by the side of Bharata. Then they will rest peacefully. Sumitra did as instructed by Vasishtha. Both Lakshmana and Satrughna stopped crying and started playing blissfully in their cradles. This was the basis of the intimate relationship between Rama and Lakshmana, Bharata and Satrughna. Both the sons of Sumitra, namely, Lakshmana and Satrughna, were always in the company of Rama and Bharata. In this manner, all the four sons of Dasaratha grew up in an environment of love and happiness. Sumitra was very happy because she thought her son Lakshmana would serve Rama and Satrughna would serve Bharata when they grew up. Where was Rama born? Many people have many doubts about the place of His birth. He was born in Ayodhya. Was the city of Ayodhya built by some ordinary mortal? No, no. It was built by Viswakarma (divine architect) himself. He built it in such a way that no enemy could enter it. When Rama won the hand of Sita by stringing the bow of Siva in the court of 132 May 2009

7 Janaka, His marriage with Sita was performed in Mithila amidst great rejoicings. The people of Mithila were beside themselves with joy and sang merry songs. Welcome to all for Rama s wedding; together we shall witness the joyous scene. Many have gathered already, decked up in all their fi nery. With necklaces the ladies are adorned of jewels pure and gleaming. Rama shall tie the knot today to beauteous Sita, oh what a fi ne match they make. Father Dasaratha has made ready bounteous feasts. All learned sages are assembled with Vasishtha presiding. Oh, what a multitude has assembled to rejoice, hearts with joy overfl owing. Wedding of the holy pair Rama and Sita, such a sight is indeed rare. The sight shall confer great merit. Rama looks the cool full moon, and Sita is a matching double. The compassionate Rama who loves all will confer His grace on us all. Come quickly to see the holy wedding of Rama and Sita. (Telugu Song) It seemed that the entire population of Ayodhya had come to Mithila to see the marriage of Sita and Rama. Dasaratha, all his ministers, and all family members prominently participated in the marriage. After the marriage function, all left for Ayodhya. On the way, they heard a deafening sound. When they looked around to fi nd where the sound had come from, they were confronted with Parasurama who looked very fi erce. Parasurama The Ramayana teaches us many lessons in morality and ethics. All the characters of this great epic set great ideals for mankind to follow. Sweeter than sugar, tastier than curd, sweeter indeed than honey is the Name of Rama. Is there anything greater than Rama Nama? We should understand this truth and contemplate on His Name day in and day out. In fact, all epics like the Ramayana teach us many moral and ethical values. came forward and asked, Who has broken the Siva bow? It is I who has done it, said Rama. If that is so, let us see if You can break my bow, saying so he gave his bow in the hands of Rama. Rama broke even that bow with His left hand. Seeing that, Parasurama offered his salutations to Rama and went his way. Experiencing the joy of victory, all of them reached Ayodhya and participated with great joy and enthusiasm in the festivities held there. Like his mother Sumitra, Lakshmana s wife Urmila was also a woman of great virtues. When Lakshmana went to inform her that he was accompanying Rama to the forest for fourteen years, she said, It is your greatest good fortune. You should consider Sita and Rama as your mother and father and serve them. In Ayodhya you have Kausalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi but in the forest you have only one mother and that is Sita. You should even forget me and serve Sita and Rama with total dedication. Lakshmana was happy to hear these words of Urmila and said to himself, What a virtuous wife I have! May

8 Great Idealism of Bharata After the departure of Rama, Lakshmana and Sita to the forest and the death of Dasaratha, Bharata came back to Ayodhya. When he was offered the crown of Ayodhya, he refused to accept it, saying that it was the right of only the eldest son and he would go to the forest and pray to Rama to come back and rule Ayodhya. When he went to the forest to pray to Rama, Rama told him, We have to follow the command of our father. Without that, our life itself is a zero. Rama promised Bharata that He would surely return to Ayodhya after the period of 14 years of His exile. Then Bharat requested Rama to give His sandals which he would place on the throne and worship them. On his return to Ayodhya, Bharat did not enter the palace. He lived in a small hut and led the life of a renunciant just as Rama was living in the forest. During the sojourn of Rama, Lakshmana and Sita at Panchavati, Ravana came in the guise of a mendicant and abducted Sita. Rama was put to great diffi culties. But He faced all diffi culties smilingly. Hanuman went in search of Sita to Lanka. He could cross the ocean with the power of the divine name of Rama. In fact, any stupendous task can be achieved by contemplating on the name of Rama. It was with the power of Rama s name that monkeys made bridge over the ocean so that Rama and His army reached Lanka. Rama had The Bharatiyas have made their trust in the Self as the basis of their life rather than material possessions, property and wealth. In fact, their entire life is founded on this trust and they have achieved progress in spite of many difficulties and deprivations. Having based their life on the trust in the Self, how can the Bharatiyas give any importance to worldly and materialistic pursuits? Even in their day-to-day conversation, they refer to their Self, saying, Only my Atmarama (inner Self) knows this. to fi ght with Ravana, the king of demons. In the course of the battle, Lakshmana was hit by a missile and became unconscious. Rama was very much distressed and lamented, I may get a wife like Sita but I cannot get a brother like Lakshmana. Then Hanuman brought Sushena, the medical expert of Lanka, who said, There is a herb called Sanjivini on a mountain in the Himalayan region. If you bring that herb, Lakshmana can be April May 2009

9 revived. Hanuman was sent to bring the Sanjivini herb to revive Lakshmana. Hanuman did not know how exactly the herb looked like. Therefore, he lifted the whole mountain on which the herb existed and placed it before Rama. With the help of the herb, Lakshmana was revived. Then Rama hugged him and said, Lakshmana! My life is meaningless without you. You have always been with Me and protected Me in many ways. There is none more dear to Me than you in this world. In fact, you are verily My life. Lakshmana was overjoyed on hearing the kind words of Rama. Rama ultimately killed Ravana and rescued Sita from his prison. Meanwhile the period of 14 years of exile of Rama was over. As the time of fourteen years drew near and Bharata could not see any signs of Rama s return to Ayodhya, he got ready to give up his life by burning himself on a pyre. As Rama could sense this type of situation, He sent Hanuman in advance to inform Bharata that He was on His way back to Ayodhya. Bharata was overjoyed on hearing this good news. All the people of Ayodhya as also Bharata and the entire family were eagerly awaiting the arrival of Rama in Ayodhya. When Rama, Lakshmana and Sita alighted from the Pushpaka Vimana, Bharata and all the people of Ayodhya offered them a hearty welcome. Soon after the arrival of Rama in Ayodhya, arrangements for His coronation were made. People of Ayodhya were full of enthusiasm at the prospect of Rama becoming their king. Ethical and Moral Values in the Ramayana The students just now sang this Bhajan: Kausalyatmaja Rama Charan, Vaidehi Priya Rama Charan, Hanumatsevita Rama Charan, Bharatarchita Sri Rama Charan, Ahalyodharaka Rama Charan, Lakshmana Sevita Rama Charan, Prasanthi Niketana Rama Charan (Always worship the Lotus Feet of Rama, son of Kausalya, which are dear to Sita, are served by Hanuman and worshipped by Bharata, which redeemed Ahalya, are served by Lakshmana and are the abode of supreme peace) (loud applause). Rama had great love for Lakshmana, more than anybody else. Similarly, Lakshmana loved Rama most dearly. He never disobeyed the command of Rama. In fact, all the brothers Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata and Satrughna had great love for each other. They ruled over Ayodhya with great unity. It was not Rama alone who administered the entire kingdom; all his brothers helped Him in conducting the affairs of the kingdom. The Ramayana teaches us many lessons in morality and ethics. All the characters of this great epic set great ideals for mankind to follow. Sweeter than sugar, tastier than curd, sweeter indeed than honey is the Name of Rama. Is there anything greater than Rama Nama? We should understand this truth and contemplate on His Name day in and day out. In fact, all epics like the Ramayana teach us many moral and ethical values. Truth is the highest among these values. Sathyannasti Paro Dharma (There is no Dharma greater than adherence to truth). Dharma is born out of Sathya, and from Dharma emerges peace and from peace emerges love. Where there is love, there can be no hatred. One who has love will adhere to non-violence. Sathya, Dharma, Santhi, Prema and Ahimsa are the fi ve cardinal human values. One who practises these human values is a human being in the true sense of the term. Even if he lacks one Continued on page May

10 TJOYOUS UGADI FESTIVAL ELUGU NEW YEAR UGADI HAD a wonderfully joyous and auspicious beginning at Prasanthi Nilayam where it was celebrated on 27th March 2009 in the Divine Presence of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Sai Kulwant Hall, the venue of the function, was tastefully decorated with buntings, festoons, cloth hangings, arches, mango and plantain leaves, bunches of raw mangoes and fl owers of various hues on this occasion. The hallmark of this year s Ugadi programme was a soul-elevating musical presentation by the students of Sathya Sai Mirpuri College of Music and Sri Sathya Sai University. The programme began at 5.00 p.m. after the Divine Darshan of Bhagavan in Sai Kulwant Hall. The students commenced their programme with a song specially composed by them for Ugadi. Rendered poignantly with outpourings of love for Bhagavan, the song created an aura of Bhakti which encompassed the entire assembly of devotees in jam-packed Sai Kulwant Hall. This was followed by the famous Thyagaraja Kriti Appa Rama Bhakti Yento Goppara, which began with an Alap (fi rst section of a piece of music). The two singers who rendered the Alap fully 136 May 2009

11 blossomed into it like mature classical singers which brought spontaneous applause from the audience. A Sufi song followed this which was equally well rendered. The brilliance of the singers was witnessed in the next song also which was a Hindustani classical piece Aaj Mero Piya Ghara Aaya which turned out to be thrilling melody. It showed not only the skill of the performers but also the hard work done by them in practising it. Next came the devotional song describing the love of the Gopikas for Krishna. Finally, three students sang a Namavali song, Hari Guna Gao. Their feelingful rendering connected the singers and the listeners with one single thread of devotion, and provided a befi tting fi nale to this thrilling music programme. By all standards, it was a superb performance of the students which kept the audience spellbound for over an hour. At the end, Bhagavan showered His blessings on the singers. After this, Prasadam blessed by Bhagavan was distributed to all. This memorable Ugadi programme came to a close with Arati to Bhagavan at 6.10 p.m. the devastating fl oods in September Besides the keys of the houses, new clothes, utensils and other necessary household items blessed by Bhagavan were distributed to these 181 benefi ciaries. Cultural Programme by Orissa Youth On the eve of Sri Rama Navami, on 2nd April 2009, Sri Sathya Sai Organisation of Orissa organised a cultural programme in Sai Kulwant Hall which comprised three items. The fi rst item of the programme was blowing of conches by the villagers of fl oodaffected areas of Orissa as a mark of welcome to Bhagavan. The blowing of conches was done by three youth who came in front of the dais in their traditional dress and offered their salutations to Bhagavan while blowing SRI RAMA NAVAMI AT PRASANTHI NILAYAM The sacred festival of Sri Rama Navami was celebrated at Prasanthi Nilayam on 3rd April This day became doubly blessed as Bhagavan not only gave His Divine Message of love and service to mankind in His Sri Rama Navami Discourse but also showered His blessings on 181 fl ood victim families of Orissa who received the keys blessed by Bhagavan of the new pucca houses constructed for them by Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust. This was the fi rst instalment of the 700 houses being constructed by Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust for the fl ood victim families of Orissa whose houses were washed away in Pala, a folk art form of Orissa came alive in Sai Kulwant Hall on 2nd April 2009 when Orissa youth made a presentation on the theme of relief and rehabilitation of fl ood victims of Orissa by Bhagavan. the conches continuously. The second item of the programme was Pala, a traditional folk art form of Orissa in which the theme is explained through dialogues interspersed with songs, music, drama and dance. The theme of the Pala performance of the May

12 Orissa youth was the relief and rehabilitation of the fl ood-affected villagers of Orissa by the profound grace of Bhagavan. The youth in their performance told the pathetic story of the devastation caused by fl oods of 2008 and explained how Bhagavan came to their rescue in this critical period of their life, and how the volunteers of Orissa Sai Organisation provided timely relief to fl ood victims. At the end of the programme, Bhagavan blessed the youth and also materialised a gold chain for the lead actor. The third item of the programme was a drama entitled Sabari Ki Pratiksha (wait of Sabari). The drama portrayed the life story of Sabari who spent her entire life in remembering Lord Rama and waiting for Him with singular devotion, which fructifi ed when Rama and Lakshmana came to her dwelling in the forest during their quest for Sita. The drama beautifully depicted how Lord Rama showered His love and blessings on His ardent devotee, partook of the fruits offered by her and fulfi lled her wish of merging with Him. At the end of the A scene from the drama Sabari Ki Pratiksha enacted by the Sai Youth of Orissa on the eve of Sri Rama Navami on 2nd April drama, Bhagavan blessed the cast and gave them the coveted opportunity of group photos with Him. The programme came to a close with Arati to Bhagavan at 6.45 p.m. On the day of Sri Rama Navami, Sai Kulwant Hall was beautifully decorated with buntings, festoons and fl owers. Bhagavan came to the hall at 9.20 a.m. in His sparkling yellow robe amidst chanting of Vedic hymns by students and showered His blessings on the yearning devotees. After coming to the dais, Bhagavan specially blessed the fl ood victim families of Orissa who were seated in front of the dais. The offi ce bearers of Sri Sathya Keys of houses constructed by Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust were distributed to 181 fl oodaffected families of Orissa on 3rd April 2009, the sacred day of Sri Rama Navami. Sai Seva Organisation of Orissa brought the keys of the houses in trays to Bhagavan for His blessings. After the keys were blessed by Bhagavan, they were distributed to all the benefi ciaries, both men and women along with utensils and other necessary household articles. After this, Bhagavan went into the rows of these benefi ciaries and showered His blessings on all of them. In the end, Prasadam blessed by Bhagavan was distributed to them and other devotees in Sai Kulwant Hall. The programme which started soon after the arrival of Bhagavan in Sai Kulwant Hall at 9.20 a.m. came to a close with Arati to Bhagavan at a.m. Bhagavan s Sri Rama Navami Discourse In the afternoon, Bhagavan blessed the devotees with His Sri Rama Navami 138 May 2009

13 Discourse. Before the Discourse of Bhagavan, two distinguished speakers addressed the gathering. Introducing the two speakers, Sri V. Srinivasan, All India President, Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations, described how Bhagavan s love was fl owing like a stream towards the fl ood-affected and needy people of Orissa, for whom He had constructed new and pucca houses. The fi rst speaker who addressed the gathering was Sri Ramesh Chandra Panda, Member, Central Administrative Tribunal. The distinguished speaker referred to the Orissa Flood Rehabilitation Project of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust as a unique project and described how Bhagavan was taking care of the poor and needy people of the country by providing drinking water, education and healthcare to them. At the end of his speech, Bhagavan blessed Sri Panda and also materialised a gold chain for him. The second speaker was Sri Kondal Rao, former Chief Engineer in the Government of Andhra Pradesh who was associated with all construction and water projects of Bhagavan including the present one. The distinguished speaker referred to the havoc caused by fl oods in Orissa in September 2008 and described how Bhagavan and the Sai Organisation of Orissa had come to the rescue of fl ood victims by undertaking various relief measures, provision of new houses to 700 families being one of them. In addition to the construction of new houses for needy families, Bhagavan was also getting the classrooms of schools constructed which were damaged by fl oods, added Sri Kondal Rao. After these speeches, Bhagavan blessed the devotees with His nectarine Discourse, in which He described how the people of Bharat had achieved great advancements in the fi eld of spirituality, unmindful of material and worldly deprivations. Their devotion to God and unfl inching faith in Him was the cause of peace and progress of Bharat, added Bhagavan. (Full text of Bhagavan s Discourse has been given elsewhere in this issue.) At the conclusion of Bhagavan s Discourse, Prasadam was distributed to the entire gathering of devotees in Sai Kulwant Hall. Sri Rama Navami celebrations at Prasanthi Nilayam came to a happy conclusion with offer of Arati to Bhagavan at 7.00 p.m. VISHU AND TAMIL NEW YEAR FUNCTIONS The twin functions celebrating Vishu (Kerala New Year) and Tamil New Year were held at Prasanthi Nilayam amidst great festivity and sacredness on 14th April Programmes on this occasion were organised for three days from 12th to 14th April 2009 by Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. A large number of devotees, Sai Youth, Bal Vikas children along with their Gurus and parents came from these two States to celebrate these functions in close proximity of Bhagavan. The festivities began on 12th April 2009 with a Carnatic music concert by Thrissur Brothers, Sree Krishna Mohan and Ramkumar Mohan, former Bal Vikas students of Kerala. The concert comprising Thyagaraja Kirtans, classical compositions and popular devotional songs such as Bho Shambho Siva Shambho Swayambho and Pibare Rama Rasam, was a rich feast both for devotees and connoisseurs of Carnatic music. By their sweet and soulful renditions, the singers not only earned the appreciation of the audience, but exhibited their talent and maturity May

14 also. The programme which began at 5.45 p.m. after Bhagavan s Divine Darshan in Sai Kulwant Hall came to a close at 6.15 p.m. At the end of the programme, Bhagavan blessed the singers and gave clothes to them and their accompanying artistes. After a short session of Bhajans, the programme came to a close with Arati to Bhagavan at 6.30 p.m. On 13th April 2009, Bal Vikas children of Kerala presented a drama entitled Madhuram Gayathi, which portrayed the divine love of Radha and Gopikas for Krishna, signifying the eternal bond of love between Jivatma (soul) and Paramatma (God). The drama commenced with a beautiful dance by the children at 5.50 p.m. after Bhagavan s Darshan in Sai Kulwant Hall. During their performance On the day of Vishu and Tamil New Year, 14th April 2009, Sai Kulwant Hall bore a festive look with banners, buntings, festoons, colourful umbrellas, fl owers and decorations with palm, coconut and plantain leaves. Vishukkani, the symbol of Vishu, was arranged in front of the dais by the devotees of Kerala while attractive decorations were made on the dais by the devotees of Tamil Nadu. In the afternoon, Bhagavan came to Sai Kulwant Hall at 5.15 The drama Sai Yuva Shakti presented by the Sai Youth of Tamil Nadu on Tamil New Year highlighted the transformation which was being brought about by Sai Youth in villages. A scene from the drama Madhuram Gayathi presented by the Bal Vikas children of Kerala as part of Vishu celebrations at Prasanthi Nilayam. for nearly one hour, the children depicted how purity of Radha s and Gopika s love attained divine level. Good acting of the children, good dances along with sweet music created a mood of piety in the audience. At the end of the drama at 6.45 p.m., Bhagavan blessed the children, posed for group photos with them and distributed clothes to them. After this, Prasadam blessed by Bhagavan was distributed to all. The programme came to a close with Arati to Bhagavan at 6.50 p.m. p.m. Soon after this, Sai Youth of Tamil Nadu presented a drama Sai Yuva Shakti, depicting the transformation being brought about in the villages by Seva activities of Sai Youth under the Village Integrated Programme of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations of India. Following the ideals of Seva in the fi elds of education, healthcare, water supply, exemplifi ed by the stupendous projects of Bhagavan, Sai Youth were bringing about a positive change in villages, highlighted the drama. The drama also depicted through the story of a Sai Youth how politics with principles could transform society and restore the pristine glory of Bharat. Good theme, excellent direction, perfect choreography and appropriate props made the drama a superb presentation. At 140 May 2009

15 the end of the drama, Bhagavan blessed the youth and posed for group photos with them. The programme came to a close at 6.40 p.m. with Arati to Bhagavan after a brief session of Bhajans and distribution of Prasadam. TWO DISTINCTIVE MUSICAL PRESENTATIONS Two special programmes of devotional music were held in Sai Kulwant Hall on 4th and 5th April 2009, both of which enthralled the devotees by their excellent musical quality and distinctive genre. The programme on 4th April 2009 showcased the folk art form of Burra Katha, through which three students of Sri Sathya Sai University described the glory of the Avatar of Kali Yuga, Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba in sweet Telugu songs and absorbing dialogues. The programme which began at 5.50 p.m. came to a close with Arati to Bhagavan at 6.40 p.m. The programme on 5th April 2009 comprised English devotional songs which were presented by the world famous singer Dana Gillespie in her own inimitable style. The talented singer sang six devotional songs, all full of profundity of meaning and depth of devotion, highlighting the power and beauty of love. Excellent instrumental support was provided to the singer by the students of the university who also followed it up by singing some English devotional songs. The programme which began at 5.45 p.m. came to a close with Arati to Bhagavan at 6.30 p.m. BHAGAVAN INAUGURATES SSSBSS SHOPPING CENTRE ANNEXE On the afternoon of 16th April 2009, Bhagavan graciously inaugurated Sri Sri Sathya Sai Bhakta Sahayak Sangh Shopping Centre Annexe inaugurated by Bhagavan on 16th April Sathya Sai Bhakta Sahayak Sangh Shopping Centre Annexe by cutting a tape and lighting the sacred lamp. Bhagavan arrived at the premises at 4.45 p.m. and spent nearly 45 minutes there. Swami went round all the fl oors and blessed the staff and devotees of Bhakta Sahayak Sangh. After Bhajan, Arati was offered to Bhagavan. EASWARAMMA WOMEN S WELFARE TRUST Since its inception in 2005, Easwaramma Women s Welfare Trust (EWWT) has conducted 45 mother-and-child medical camps, providing a total of 12,525 check-ups for mothers and 25,593 for infants. 30 villages in the Sathya Sai Mandal are presently served. During 2009, the whole Mandal will be covered. EWWT has also given out in charitable donations thousands of water fi lters, hygiene kits, baby kits, Saris, food packets, medicines, solar lamps and cookers and blankets in these villages. These programmes are ongoing, and will be continued in future also. May

16 I N T E R V I E W EXPERIENCING BHAGAVANÊS DIVINITY At about 12 o clock in the night, Dr. Bhaskar Rao woke me up and said, Did you smell something very fragrant? It was a very strong fragrance of Vibhuti it was very fascinating. But nothing happened, we just got the smell. Next morning, we went for our bath. And when we returned it must be about 6 o clock in the morning we saw this man sitting up on the bed and singing Raghupathi Raghava Raja Ram! I almost fainted. It was so funny, it was so fascinating. This man who was almost dead was singing Bhajans!, said Dr. Keki Mistry narrating various incidents of miraculous cure of fatal diseases by Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba during his interview with Dr. G. Venkataraman, former Vice Chancellor of Sri Sathya Sai University. S AI RAM, DR. MISTRY. IT IS VERY nice to see you here in this studio. From this studio, we have brought the experiences of so many devotees to people all over the world. It is now my pleasure to have you chat with us here. Could you introduce yourself briefl y and tell us how you came to Swami? I am an orthodontist, practising in the city of Mumbai for the last 45 years. Sometime in 1965, I suddenly found I was losing my voice and I developed a very bad cough. I was coughing almost every second. I just couldn t sleep or lie down. I had to spend nights sitting up just like this. Then I got myself examined. They found that I had a lump in my throat the size of a golf ball! When this happened, it meant the end of my professional life, because every parent who brought their child for treatment wanted to ask me questions and I just wasn t able to answer them. The very fact that I am talking to you is a miracle of Baba. At that time, I read Prof. Kasturi s book Sathyam Sivam Sundaram and I read it with a lot of interest. In fact, I read it through the whole night. I said to myself, May be I should meet Sri Sathya Sai Baba, may be that miracle can happen to me! Soon afterwards, I heard that Baba was in Mumbai. One day as I was walking down the Hanging Gardens in Malabar Hills, a young boy came to me and said, Baba is calling you. I went there and it was in the house of Sri P.K. Savant. It was a Minister s house, so police was there. I had no knowledge of Baba or His routine. He had already given Darshan and retired. Policemen stopped me from going in. I said, Baba has called me. They asked, Who told you? I turned around and said, This boy But, there was no boy when I looked back! The police offi cer looked at me and said, You look like a cultured man. Why are you doing this? Everybody wants to go inside. Anyhow, I wanted to stay. Half an hour passed. Then some policemen came to me and said, Why are you waiting here? Baba will not come out now. You go to Gwalior Garden at 4 o clock. Still I waited. It was the 142 May 2009

17 month of May. It was very, very hot; it used to be very hot in Mumbai. I waited, somehow or the other. At about quarter to two, I decided that I would wait till 2 p.m. If Bhagavan Baba didn t come out, then I would go back home. It was too hot then and I stayed in the sun for almost two hours, and I wasn t keeping well. At about 5 minutes to 2, Baba peeped out of the window on the fi rst floor, looked directly at me and said, Come. There were two other ladies in white Saris who were also waiting. They also saw Baba. I didn t know whom Baba called me or them? But I rushed towards the gate. As the policeman s back was towards the window, he did not see Baba calling me. So, he prevented me, saying, What is this nonsense? I said, Baba really called me from the window. But Baba was not there. I looked around. Again no one! But Swami came to the ground fl oor. Then, of course, the policemen let me inside! When I saw Him, tears started rolling down my cheeks, just fl owing. I was embarrassed. There were those ladies who followed me inside and in front of these ladies, I was crying or what! Swami was standing and looking at me sweetly. Tears fell at His feet. I felt very comfortable with Him. And then He talked to me and said, Kal Maa ko Lekar Aana, Maa ka Tabeeyat Theek Nahin Hai (Come with your mother tomorrow. Her health is not good). My mother had not been keeping well, being a chronic asthmatic. So, I said, Yes, Swami. Tomorrow at 9 o clock, please come, He said again. I said, Swami, nobody is allowing me to come. He then spoke to someone and they gave me permission for two people my mother and myself. I went home and told my mother. She was very happy; she was spiritually very involved all the time. If Swami had called me, he T T Normally, I used to travel in the car with Swami wherever He went. I would sit in the front and Sri Indulal Shah would sit next to Swami at the back. So, I went with Him. When mother saw Swami in the hospital, she looked at Swami and asked, Swami, what is this? Thousands of people are waiting for Your Darshan and You have come here to see this old woman! Swami then knocked me out, saying, See, this is called Bhakti (devotion)! T T had called 200 other people too. And it was a huge gathering of 200 people, all in various stages of sickness. We were all sitting in a room. He called people inside the interview room turn by turn. I was called in fourth and I went with my mother. Swami stood there, talked to my mother and said, You have asthma; you have diffi culty in breathing. But she wasn t interested in herself at all. So, she said, Swami, what about him? But I was looking normal; the throat wasn t showing anything. He said, I know Maa. Oopar Lump Hai. (There is a lump on the top). Negative, positive thoughts. Operation Kare, Na Kare (Whether to do operation or not)? So, mother asked Him the million dollar question: Does he have cancer or not? With great authority Baba said, Cancer? He... cancer? He is not your son, he is My boy. He has only come through you. No cancer. He cannot have cancer. Then Swami waved his hand, materialised a lot of Vibhuti and put it in mother s hand. She said, What should I do? He said, Kha Jao. (eat!) She gulped all of it. He took me aside May

18 and said, Do not worry. You go and pray. In three days, you will be all right. I was very spiritual that way. I used to believe in prayers and divinity a lot, except that I could not believe in any human being as divine. When you say you pray a lot, you mean you pray in the Parsi way? Yes, according to the faith I was brought up. I was accustomed to going to the fi re temple. I used to go 3-4 times a week even as a school boy. I didn t really know any formal language nor the Avestan language, and I didn t like to pray in a language which I didn t know. I used to just go to the temple and communicate. We went home. Then I realised that all this time, coming from Swami and reaching home, for 30 minutes, I had not coughed. I suddenly became all right. My cough stopped, I could sleep. I thought psychology or hypnosis was at work. Two-three days later, Swami left Mumbai. At this stage, I must tell you that some of the leading cancer specialists had all seen me and it was documented that they should get this lump out. It will interfere with your breathing. We don t know if it is cancer. We can tell that only after the biopsy. It is getting bigger. You must get it out. I didn t show myself to any doctor after Swami left. Six months passed, I was completely cured, symptoms had all disappeared. I had no medical check-up, no authenticity whether that tumour was there or not. Approximately six months later, I had a severe coughing bout. I spat blood. I got very scared. I went to a surgeon, who is still alive at the age of 90 plus. I said, Dr. Heeru, please see me. He examined me and asked, Tell me what has happened. This is beautiful. There is nothing there; there is no tumour. How did you get it removed? What did you do? Whom did you show to? Then I told him the whole story. He listened to this very intently and said, Yes, I have heard about Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. You are very lucky. I have seen cures like this. Go, you are a very blessed man! At that point, you believed it was a sort of psychosomatic phenomenon. How did you change your view? How did full faith come to you? I am glad you asked me this. That same evening, I went to the temple after meeting Baba. I prayed to Zoroastra and said, Show me a sign. Is this really someone who saved me or is it a fl uke? I want to see a sign. And then in the evening, I went to Swami s Darshan meeting in Gwalior Palace. It was a huge gathering and from where I was sitting, Swami was looking like a tiny speck. I was hoping that He would come towards me. But I was almost at the last row and in a place where Swami would normally not come. And Swami came almost half way into the crowd and then He turned back towards the podium. But suddenly He turned and came straight to me. There was a rock towards the end of the ground and I was sitting on the rock. He came very near me, put His hand on my shoulder and said, Don t push too hard. I did not know what that meant but I took it as a sign. I said, Why among the entire huge crowd He asked me? All the other people started asking me, Does He know you? Do you know Him? Whatever that incident meant, I took it as a sign! From then on, many things happened. My wife was pregnant with my fi rst child; nobody in the family knew about it except her mother and my mother. And with only three months into the family way, she wasn t showing. I went to Puttaparthi in the year Sometimes, He used to call doctors and speak to us. 144 May 2009

19 Swami used to ask a few questions. I normally would listen. He looked at me and asked, Aapko Kuchchh Bolna Hai? Kuchchh Poochhna Hai? (Do you want to say or ask something? ) I said, Nothing. But I must tell you, my wife had developed a funny problem of spitting. Every second, she used to spit and that used to drive her crazy. She had tremendous salivation and it used to fl ow. So, suddenly I remembered about my wife and said, My wife Swami cut me short immediately and said, Malum Hai, sir, Garbh (I know, sir, she is pregnant). He said, Do not worry, 22nd August, you will have a son. I didn t ask Him anything further. Then He said, Chiranjivi (long life)! When I went home, my wife said, I want to tell you something. I am not spitting or salivating. I asked her when it stopped and I traced out that exactly at the moment I talked to Swami, she stopped spitting. To cut a long story short, I got a son. Swami had materialised a fruit during that conversation. It was a dry date. A few hours before your wife goes to the hospital, you make her eat that fruit, He had said. We religiously did that, and on 22nd August, just as Baba had told, my son was born. Amazing! I went to visit my son in the hospital on the 3rd day and my son s bilirubin had shot up to If bilirubin shoots up, it can cause the brain to be damaged. The doctors were taking the blood from the skull of the infant and seeing the count. My wife almost fainted watching this. She didn t know what was wrong and in her mind she said, They are taking blood from the skull. It upset her but at the same time she was strong. The bilirubin sometimes went up to 10-13, but she said, Don t worry. Swami told you Chiranjivi. He will live. T T T I said, Dr. Heeru, please see me. He examined me and asked, Tell me what has happened? This is beautiful. There is nothing there; there is no tumour. How did you get it removed? What did you do? Whom did you show to? Then I told him the whole story. He listened to this very intently and said, Yes, I have heard about Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. You are very lucky. I have seen cures like this. Go, you are a very blessed man! T When Swami had said Chiranjivi, I had thought it was a kind of casual blessing. Now I knew the signifi cance. So, we kept the confi dence and he recovered. This incident strengthened our faith quite a bit. My wife was no way near Swami and she was 1,100 km away, no one knew that she was pregnant. We did not discuss this with anyone. But He said everything. I wasn t even thinking about her pregnancy during that interview. Your narration is so fascinating, I have to ask you for more. I have seen so many things now, being with Swami for 40 years. Swami used to ask me to go and work in the General Hospital in Puttaparthi whenever I came here. One night, Dr. Bhaskar Rao from Andhra Pradesh and myself were on duty near the bed of a patient, a Sindhi gentleman, who was a printer from Madras (now Chennai). This person was on the verge of death. The whole family was called from Chennai. May

20 At about 12 o clock in the night, Dr. Bhaskar Rao woke me up and said, Did you smell something very fragrant? It was a very strong fragrance of Vibhuti it was very fascinating. But nothing happened, we just got the smell. Next morning, we went for our bath. And when we returned it must be about 6 o clock in the morning we saw this man sitting up on the bed and singing Raghupathi Raghava Raja Ram! I almost fainted. It was so funny, it was so fascinating. This man who was almost dead was singing Bhajans! My mother was absolutely devoted to Baba. Nothing was in between her and Baba. One day, I saw a big red blob on her backside. When I enquired, she said, I have been bleeding often. We found out that she had cancer of the rectum. She told me, Go and tell Swami. So, I went to Baba. I went to Whitefi eld but Baba was in Kodaikanal. I said, I will stay here for a while and then go back. But Sri Ramabrahmam, the caretaker of Whitefi eld Ashram, told me, there was a phone call from Swami who said, Dr. Mistry is there, tell him not to go, I will come in the evening. So, I stayed. When He came, I told Swami about mother s cancer. Swami then looked at me directly in the eyes and said, What doctor, should people live forever? I realised that it was His way of saying that she was going to die. Then I said, Swami, as a son, I would request You that she should have a peaceful death. Peaceful death Mangta Hai? Jao Milega (You want for her a peaceful death? Go, she will get that). I was one of those persons Swami asked to be with Him whenever He came to Mumbai. There were a few others like Inamdar and Satheesh, and Swami used to allow us to be in His room. We did everything draw water, take out the clothes which He was to wear, serve Him food, etc. During one of Swami s visits to Mumbai, we were on duty and I was staying at Dharmakshetra (Swami s residence in Mumbai) itself, full 24 hours. I didn t go anywhere. Now, one night it was a Friday, I remember at 8 o clock mother was very ill and she was admitted in Parsi General Hospital. A phone call came from my father that the doctor had said that she was very serious and might not live through the night. I asked my father, Is she asking for me? He said, No. She is not conscious at all. I said, If she is not asking for me, do you feel that I should be there with you? Swami retired at 8 p.m. I could not leave without Swami s permission. I had not spoken to Baba and I could not knock on the door. My sister came on the phone and she said, What nonsense? I got a fi ring from her. I said, Fine, give the phone back to father. I asked father, Do you need me there? He said, No! So, I decided that I will stay at Dharmakshetra and pray for her. Her doctor, who was a leading surgeon of Mumbai, too, came on the phone and said, Keki, I don t think she will make it through the night. It is up to you, she is your mother. Folks are asking me to talk to you. I told him that I would stay at Baba s residence. Next morning at 7 a.m., Swami opened His door and I went inside. Swami sat down and was looking at some paper. I said, Swami, there was a phone call. Mother is not well. Can I have Your permission to go? Now, this was Saturday morning. He said, On Wednesday, I am visiting Savant s house and your mother is in the hospital close by. Let us go together to visit her. I took it as a sign that I should not go and she would survive. By that time, mother recovered consciousness. She said, No, let him be with Baba. 146 May 2009

21 On Wednesday, Swami went to the Parsi General Hospital to see her. Normally, I used to travel in the car with Swami wherever He went. I would sit in the front and Sri Indulal Shah would sit next to Swami at the back. So, I went with Him. When mother saw Swami in the hospital, she looked at Swami and asked, Swami, what is this? Thousands of people are waiting for Your Darshan and You have come here to see this old woman! Swami then knocked me out, saying, See, this is called Bhakti (devotion)! Swami showed me what true devotion was. At the same time, she was very conscious as a host. Please seat Yourself, she said and then offered some coconut water to Swami. Swami said, I am not a patient and asked her to lie down immediately. She had been operated upon, colostomy was done. Swami created and applied Vibhuti on her. He talked to her for minutes. Now imagine this. The doctor said, Come immediately, she will not live through the night. But Swami said, We will see her on Wednesday. My mother came home from the hospital and lived for another one and half years after that. She died in our home. She had a peaceful death. Doctor Saheb, I must really thank you. It is a great pleasure to listen about Bhagavan Baba from you. Sai Ram! Sai Ram! Courtesy: Radio Sai Global Harmony... Continued from page 135 of these, he cannot be called a perfect human being. Therefore, we should develop all these fi ve values. Unfortunately, when we look at the present scenario, we do not see truth anywhere and we don t even hear the word Dharma. Hence, man today is beset with unrest. People want peace but what they get is pieces only! Due to the lack of peace, love has become non-existent in man. Therefore, we should develop peace. Then only will love develop in us. When love takes root in us, we will have no enemies. Then all will become our friends. Hence, man should develop love and consider all as his brothers and sisters. This is the main essence of the Ramayana. It is only to demonstrate this principle of love that I have undertaken this housing project for the flood-affected people of Orissa. We should love and help each other. The calamity that has befallen the people of Orissa can happen to anyone. When we make them happy, we will also be happy. Therefore, we should all be united. Let us all move together, let us all grow together, Let us all stay united and grow in intelligence together, Let us live together with friendship and harmony. (Telugu Song) It is only when we grow in intelligence together can there be unity. We should move and work with unity. No one should hate anybody. If any thought of hatred comes to you for a moment, you should brush it aside the very next moment and develop the feeling of unity. It is only love that unites all. (Bhagavan concluded His Discourse with the Bhajan, Prema Mudita Manase Kaho Rama Rama Ram ) From Bhagavan s Sri Rama Navami Discourse in Sai Kulwant Hall, Prasanthi Nilayam on 3rd April May

22 B H A G A V A N S D I S C O U R S E O N 2 5 T H F E B R U A R Y NO SOCIETY CAN EXIST WITHOUT MORALITY P H L C G N J Durlabham (of all living beings, human birth is the rarest). Why is it said so? Everybody wants progress, prosperity and welfare of society. There are three main principles through which this can be achieved. ANTUNAM NARAJANMA Safeguard Morality For morality to prevail in society, the individual should have fear of sin. He will have fear of sin only when he develops love for God. Therefore, it is necessary that man should develop love for God. When man Our speech and actions should be pleasing to others. When someone gives a speech, he cites his experiences as an example. We should narrate only good experiences. When you call yourself a student of Sri Sathya Sai University, your conduct should be in accordance with the reputation of the institution in which you have studied. You should respect and honour your elders. See no evil. When you conduct yourself in this manner, everybody will call you, good boy, good boy. Good boy is God boy! You should earn such a good reputation. They are: Daiva Preeti, Papa Bheeti and Sangha Neeti (love for God, fear of sin and morality in society). develops love for God, he will have fear of sin and will adopt right path in life. That will bring about morality in society. A man without 148 May 2009

23 morality cannot be called a human being in the real sense of the term. But modern man is immersed over head and ears in sin. Then, how can he have love for God? One can have love for God only when one fears sin. Man should, in fact, consider Daiva Preeti, Papa Bheeti and Sangha Neeti as his three main limbs like feet, stomach and head. Due to the absence of fear of sin and love for God, humanness has declined in human beings. This is detrimental to universal peace. (Telugu Poem) Daiva Preeti, Papa Bheeti and Sangha Neeti are interdependent. Man will have fear of sin when he develops love for God. He will develop morality when he has fear of sin. Conversely, a man devoid of morality will have no fear of sin and a man who has no fear of sin can have no love for God. Man desires to have many things in life; he performs many types of yoga, meditation and penance. But all these are useless if he lacks fear of sin. Therefore, for morality in society, the individual should have fear of sin. He can earn respect and attain a place of honour in society only when he has morality. No society can exist without morality. Therefore, we should spread morality in society. The society which is based on morality will promote love for God. On the other hand, if society is without any moral base, there will be neither fear of sin in its members nor love for God. Therefore, it is the foremost duty of man to safeguard his morality. Selflessness is the Noblest Virtue A true human being is one who is endowed with humanness. First of all, he should have love for God. If you engage yourself in Seva (service activities) without love for God, it amounts to only selfi shness. So long as there is selfi shness in man, he cannot realise the Self. In fact, a fish is better than a selfi sh person in the sense that the fi sh cleans the water in which it moves. Selfl essness is the noblest virtue. You consider yourselves as human beings. But, do you have humanness and human qualities? If you lack these, then where is the difference between a man and an animal or a beast? The animals at least help man to grow crops but man today has become so selfi sh that he does not help anybody. Therefore, we should ask ourselves this question, Are we human beings, animals or beasts? Of course, we are not animals or beasts; we are human beings. When we know this, we should develop befi tting human qualities. Everybody should think and ask himself, Do I have human qualities or not? The human values of Sathya, Dharma, Santhi, Prema and Ahimsa are like the fi ve life-breaths of man. You can call yourself a human being only when you possess these fi ve human values. If you lack these fi ve values, then whatever other qualities you may have, they cannot make you a real human being. An animal has hunger, lust and anger. It leads its life without any restraint. It lacks kindness and compassion which are the main qualities of a human being. Lust, anger, delusion, greed, pride and jealousy are common to a man and an animal. One who has no control over these animal qualities is verily an animal. Man should keep them under check and develop Sathya, Dharma, Santhi, Prema and Ahimsa (truth, righteousness, peace, love and non-violence) instead. He should have kindness and compassion for all. First of all, he should have love. We can have peace only when we have love. We can have fulfi lment in life only when we combine peace and love. When we have both peace and love, then we will have no hatred and we will not hurt May

24 anybody. If we hurt others, it shows that there is anger in us. Sorrow is the reaction of anger. Therefore, man should develop love. If at any time, the feelings of anger and hatred arise in us, we should check them. That is the quality of a human being. That is why we should have fear of sin, love for God and morality in society. When we develop love for God, all our sins will be totally burnt to ashes. Therefore, if we want all our sins to be destroyed, we should develop love for God. Anger and Jealousy are Worst Enemies of Man Manushyanam Daiva Swarupam (Man is divine). That is why all Avatars take human form. When you have human form, you should not give room to animal qualities. Even if they arise in you, you should drive them away. When you have animal qualities, you will have no fear of sin. Therefore, you should always have love, love and love alone! Anger and jealousy are the worst enemies of man. One who has these two cannot be called a human being. Such a person can never attain divinity. One who fl ies into a rage from moment to moment shows lack of humanness. It shows only his animal quality. Therefore, fi rst of all control anger and jealousy. This is what all our sacred texts like the Gita and the Upanishads teach. These two are more powerful and fi erce than even a lion and are always waiting to overpower you. The anger of a lion is shortlived; the lion can kill anyone in a few minutes. But man harbours anger and jealousy for months and years and he does not give them up easily. Therefore, anger and jealousy are the most fearful enemies of man. They destroy the feelings of unity and forbearance. Forbearance is the real beauty in this sacred land of Bharat. Of all the rituals, We are human beings. When we know this, we should develop befitting human qualities. Everybody should think and ask himself, Do I have human qualities or not? The human values of Sathya, Dharma, Santhi, Prema and Ahimsa are like the five life-breaths of man. You can call yourself a human being only when you possess these five human values. If you lack these five values, then whatever other qualities you may have, they cannot make you a real human being. adherence to truth is the greatest penance. The nectarine feeling in this country is the feeling of love towards one s mother. (Telugu Poem) Real sweetness lies in the love for the mother. We should consider love and forbearance as our mother and father. But, unfortunately, these two are nowhere to be seen in man today. When you acquire these two virtues, you are nothing but God. Therefore, it is essential for man to have Daiva Preeti, Papa Bheeti and Sangha Neeti. What does Papa Bheeti mean? It is the fear of hurting and insulting others. Sin does not necessarily mean killing somebody. Hurting the feelings of others also amounts to killing. Therefore, see to it that you do not cause any mental hurt to anybody. To refrain from all this is Papa Bheeti. Rama went to the forest and killed those who indulged in sinful deeds in order to wipe out sin. Vibhishana also came to Rama and helped Him to annihilate sin. 150 May 2009

25 For morality to prevail in society, the individual should have fear of sin. He will have fear of sin only when he develops love for God. Therefore, it is necessary that man should develop love for God. When man develops love for God, he will have fear of sin and will adopt right path in life. That will bring about morality in society. A man without morality cannot be called a human being in the real sense of the term. Always Speak Sweet Words Vibhishana was the younger brother of Ravana. They were three brothers Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Vibhishana. Vibhishana was always calm and composed and was free from hatred, jealousy and anger unlike his elder brother Ravana. The third brother Kumbhakarna was eating and sleeping all the time. The very name Ravana signifi ed anger, jealousy and hatred whereas the name Vibhishana indicated peace and quietude. A man s name infl uences his nature. There are certain names which create pleasing feelings when you hear them. But there are some names which create the feeling of fear and repulsion. For example, when we hear the name cuckoo, it creates sublime and sweet feelings in us. We hear with great pleasure when the cuckoo sings. There is a pleasing feeling in its very name. But, on the other hand, people throw stones at the crow when it opens its mouth. We should give names to our children with proper consideration. That is why people name their children after taking into account the star of their birth. We should have names which are good. We should never have a name which is not proper. The name should be such that it gives rise to feelings of peace and sweetness. Sathyanarayana is the name of this body. How sweet it is! This name was given by Kondama Raju, the grandfather of this body. He also changed the name of the mother of this body from Namagiriamma to Easwaramma, which means the mother of Easwara (God). That is how the name Easwaramma has become famous in the world. Words like snake and scorpion create in us a feeling of fear because of their poison. A snake has poison in its fangs and a scorpion has it in its tail. Their poison is localised in certain parts of their body. But man today is fi lled with poison from top to toe. Not only his speech, but all his actions are also poisonous. Some people have so much poison in their speech that whatever words come out of their mouth, they are full of poison. They hurt the feelings of others by such words. We should keep our speech free from such poisonous words and should always talk May

26 sweetly. There are some people who have poison even in their smile. But there is no poison in love. We should have smile which is full of love. Swami always smiles lovingly. His smile radiates bliss. You should always have a smiling face. Never put on a castor oil face ; it refl ects anger, hatred and jealousy. Always have a smiling face. You should keep smiling even if somebody abuses you. Then the other person will also stop abusing and start smiling. When you ask someone, how are you, brother?, then he will also say, how are you, brother?, even if he is your enemy. As is your action, so will be the reaction. As is the sound, so is the resound. When you lovingly ask someone, how are you?, he will also ask, how are you? Everything has a reaction, refl ection and resound. Therefore, our speech, our actions and our conduct should be good. This is the main quality of a true human being. We should be humble and courteous in our speech. Do not cause fear in others. In this lies true humanness; otherwise, people will brand you as a person without human quality. Our speech and actions should be pleasing to others. When someone gives a speech, he cites his experiences as an example. We should narrate only good experiences. When you call yourself a student of Sri Sathya Sai University, your conduct should be in accordance with the reputation of the institution in which you have studied. You should respect and honour your elders. See no evil. When you conduct yourself in this manner, everybody will call you, good boy, good boy. Good boy is God boy! You should earn such a good reputation. Only then will the saying, Jantunam Nara Janma Durlabham become meaningful. (Bhagavan sang the Bhajan, Hari Bhajan Bina Sukha Santhi Nahin and continued His Discourse). When I went to Chennai some time ago, some people asked Me, Swami! People aspire for peace and happiness. Where do peace and happiness lie? Then I gave them the answer in this song, Hari Bhajan Bina Sukha Santhi Nahin (There can be no happiness and peace without chanting the name of God). Bhajan means to contemplate on God. That alone gives us peace and happiness. Peace and happiness are not separate from each other. They can be attained only through Hari Bhajan. Someone may ask you, Sai Baba speaks of peace and happiness. Where do they exist? What have you understood? When you give them the reply, Hari Bhajan Bina Sukha Santhi Nahin, there will be no further questions. Humanness will blossom only when there is Daiva Preeti, Papa Bheeti and Sangha Neeti. You will be victorious in the entire world when you have these three. These three are enough; you do not need anything else. Sing the glory of God. Then you will set a great example for all. Chala Santosham (very happy). From Bhagavan s Divine Discourse in Sai Kulwant Hall, Prasanthi Nilayam on 25th February When a rose is held in the hand, its fragrance can give the holder joy; the fragrance can also be enjoyed by people standing nearby. So, too, when your intelligence is saturated with the fragrance of virtue and charity you can derive contentment and joy, and those around you can also share in the peace and harmony. Baba April May 2009

27 Effulgence of Divine Glory THE AVATAR OF LOVE AND COMPASSION S ome years ago it was, when the car road direct from Prasanthi Nilayam to Bukkapatnam did not exist; Sri Sathya Sai High School, Bukkapatnam, held its annual celebration of Baba s Birthday on 23rd November, as usual. Baba too blessed the boys by His Presence. After Bhajan, Baba discoursed to the Sri Sathya Sai High School, Bukkapatnam. students and He wanted all the boys to go over assignment, while Baba waited on the other to Puttaparthi and share in the celebrations bank of the Chitravathi for all of them to join there with the assembled devotees, as well Him. The Bhaktas (devotees) at Prasanthi as in the feast that had been arranged. Nilayam wondered why Baba took such an While returning from the school to extraordinarily long time to finish the High Karnatanagepalli by car, Baba saw the School function and return to them! It took boys walking in the sun along the road to full three hours for the cars to bring over the Puttaparthi. He could not bear the sight of three hundred and odd school children, and the children trudging in the sun, even for Baba started His walk over the sands of the the distance of about 3 km! So, He stopped river only after the teachers had assured Him His car and asked that they should all sit in that not a single boy had been left behind. the shade of trees, promising to transport Probably (why, most assuredly) no one, not them all by car to Karnatanagepalli. So, His even the children would have minded that car as well as three other cars belonging short walk of 3 km or so. But, He, in His to some devotees were put on this special Mercy, did. by N. Kasturi Sanathana Sarathi, September Baba May

28 M Y A N M A R O N 2ND MAY 2008, TROPICAL storm Nargis hit Myanmar s capital city, Yangon, and a large portion of the Ayerawaddy delta region. An estimated 200,000 people died, and an estimated 2.5 million others were affected. At the invitation of the Myanmar Government, the Sathya Sai Sri Sathya Sai Baba Village, consisting of 51 houses, a temple and a school was built by the Sathya Sai Baba Central Council of Malaysia for the people affected by the storm Nargis. opening ceremony, offi cials from the village, the people s army, and school children gave a rousing welcome to SSBCCM volunteers. Banners and buntings with Bhagavan s name and the Sarva Dharma symbol were visible everywhere, along with huge signboards bearing the name Sri Sathya Sai Baba Village, which were displayed at prominent places in the village. The ceremony opened with a welcome song in Myanmarese by school children. With a prayer to Bhagavan, Sri Billy Fong, President, SSBCCM, cut the ribbon, marking the offi cial opening of Sri Sathya Sai Baba Village. A big picture of Bhagavan in his Abhayahasta (blessing) pose adorned the main wall of the school building, while the front wall of each house exhibited a Sarva Dharma (all faiths) symbol. T A N Z A N I A Sri Sathya Sai Society of Tanzania (SSSST) has adopted the Uhuru Mchanganyiko Baba Central Council of Malaysia (SSBCCM), with the help of devotees from Singapore and Thailand, undertook the monumental task of building 51 new homes, a temple and a school, to create a new village called Sri Sathya Sai Baba Village. The village was inaugurated on 21st December The Myanmar Government was touched and impressed with Bhagavan s mission and promised their full cooperation. The village was to be constructed in a remote area, about an eight-hour boat ride from Yangon, far from any towns, shops, roads, electricity or facilities. Construction took place from July to December For the new village s Sri Sathya Sai Society of Tanzania has been serving three meals per day to the students of the Uhuru Mchanganyiko Primary School for Blind Children in Dar-es-Salam on a continuing basis for several years. The picture shows breakfast being served to children. 154 May 2009

29 Primary School for Blind Children, located in Dar-es-Salam. On 22nd November 2008, the Indian High Commissioner to Tanzania, Sri K.V. Bhagirath, visited the school. The Chairman of the SSSST, the school principal, and Sai devotees welcomed him. The High Commissioner served breakfast to the students. The Tanzanian newspaper, Daily News, reported the service activity. The SSSST has been providing three meals per day for these children on a continuing basis for several years. The school has had many notable visitors. In 2004, the then President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, visited the school and donated several computers with speech capabilities for visually impaired students. Also, in October 2008, Indian Navy doctors, Indian High Commission offi cials and Sai devotees visited the school and conducted a free medical clinic for the students. C R O A T I A On 23rd November 2008, over 750 people gathered in a cinema hall in Zagreb to celebrate Bhagavan s 83rd Birthday. An inspiring exhibition on Bhagavan s life and work had been set up on 17th November 2008 at the entrance to the cinema hall. The opening address by the National Coordinator of the Croatian Sai Organisation emphasised Bhagavan s 83rd Birthday was celebrated in Zagreb, Croatia on 23rd November Sai Spiritual Education children giving a performance during Bhagavan s 83rd Birthday celebrations in Zagreb, Croatia. how precious and beautiful human life was and that simplicity and sincerity were pathways to God. The book, His Story, which focuses on Bhagavan s love and teachings, was then featured. This was followed by a performance by 20 Sai Spiritual Education (SSE) children on the theme of unity of religions and unity in diversity. The children also presented songs about human values, in which they portrayed the good deeds and attitudes described in the songs. Many in the audience were moved to tears of joy by their performance. The programme ended with Bhajans. I T A L Y On 14th December 2008, a youth meeting was held at the Sathya Sai Centre in Bologna. About 20 Sai Youth and 20 adults from the Emilia Romagna, Marche and Tuscany regions of Italy attended this meeting to study Sathya Sai s teachings, values and principles for the guidance of Sai Youth. The theme of the meeting was Being Part of the Youth Wing of the Sathya Sai Organisation. Teaching sessions included The Sathya Sai Organisation, Teamwork, Sathya Sai Values for Youth, Relationship between Mind and Reality, Importance of Trial and Error and Maintaining an Open Mind. It was felt by all attendees that the meeting provided May

30 seminar was to emphasise the role of parents in fostering values in children. The programme began with Vedic chants, followed by a welcome address. The seminar included presentations, role playing, group discussions and quizzes. Three talks were given Introduction to Values Parenting, Children s Expectations from Parents, and Harmony House along with an interactive session, in which various parenting problems and the many ways of overcoming such problems using Sathya Sai s teachings were discussed. A youth meeting was held in Bologna, Italy on 14th December 2008, in which 20 Sai Youth and 20 adults from the Emilia Romagna, Marche and Tuscany regions of Italy took part. good guidance to the youth, encouraging them to engage in service activities with love and humility. O M A N A seminar on Values Parenting was held on 20th February 2009 at the International College for Engineering and Management, Muscat. About 200 parents and teachers of SSE children attended. The purpose of the A seminar on Values Parenting was held in Muscat, Oman on 20th February 2009 to discuss the role of parents in fostering values in children. S E R B I A Following Sri Sathya Sai World Education Conference held in July 2008 at Prasanthi Nilayam, 30 Sai devotees from Denmark, Greece, Romania, Croatia, Bosnia, Macedonia Participants from Denmark, Greece, Romania, Croatia, Bosnia, Macedonia and Serbia attended a workshop on Sathya Sai Educare held in Belgrade from 18th and 19th October and Serbia met on 18th and 19th October 2008 in Belgrade for a workshop on educare. During the workshop, participants were introduced to the core principles of Sathya Sai Educare and the steps needed to unify Sathya Sai educational programmes all over the world. Besides, presentations were made by the Zonal Chairman, Thorbjoern Meyer, and Marianne Meyer on the pedagogy of SSE 156 May 2009

31 integral education and the fi ve human values and culture. Four other speakers spoke about the fi ve teaching techniques; the importance of selfl ess service; the signifi cance of love without duty, which is divine; and leading a family life based on the fi ve human values. These speakers had recently graduated from Sri Sathya Sai Educare programme at Dharmakshetra, Mumbai, India. The seminar also included practising Jyoti Meditation and devotional singing. G E R M A N Y A workshop on Sathya Sai Educare was held in Bad Homburg, Germany on 7th February It was attended by national and regional SSE coordinators, teachers running Sathya Sai Education in Human Values (SSEHV) programmes and teacher-trainers of the European Sathya Sai Education (ESSE) Institute campus in Germany. The purpose of the meeting was to plan the implementation of the recent changes to the structure of SSE and SSEHV. The Central Coordinator for Germany, Petra von Kalinowski, inaugurated A workshop on Sathya Sai Educare was held in Bad Homburg, Germany on 7th February 2009 to discuss the changes in the structure of Sai Spiritual Education in Human Values. the meeting. This was followed by a detailed presentation entitled Overview of the ESSE Courses and Seminars and a question-andanswer session on the new structure. Sri Sathya Sai World Foundation B H A R A T Andhra Pradesh: Vizianagaram district built six houses in Ravivalasa village and handed over the same to selected benefi ciaries on 1st March 2009 after performing the traditional inauguration ceremony. The district started computer centre in Lakshmipuram village, Easwaramma Self-employment Training Centre in Yuthapalem village, a bus shelter in Lingampeta village and Sai Sivam Mandir in Duvvam village. The State President took part in all these functions. Besides, the district distributed Amruta Kalasams to 40 poor families. A newly-built three-storeyed Sri Sathya Sai Seva Sadan was inaugurated at Tenali (Guntur district) on 7th March 2009, two newly-built Sri Sathya Sai Seva Sadans were inaugurated in Kancharam and Kudigam villages of Srikakulam district on 3rd March 2009 and two newly-built Sri Sathya Sai Bhajan Mandirs were inaugurated in Bandalingapur and Jagirkondapur villages (Karimnagar district) on 13th March Delhi: An enlightening programme on Unity of Faiths was organised by Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation, Delhi on 28th February 2009 at Sri Sathya Sai International Centre, New Delhi. The topic for discussion was Miracle of Prayer. The panelists who spoke on the subject were Air Chief Marshal (retd.) N.C. Suri, Swami Nikhilananda Saraswathi, spiritual head of Chinmaya Mission, Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, a renowned Islamic scholar and May

32 Scholars of various faiths gave illuminating talks on the topic Miracle of Prayer in the programme held at Sri Sathya Sai International Centre, New Delhi on 28th February Father Dominic Emmanuel, Director, Delhi Catholic Arch dioceses. Air Chief Marshal Suri dwelt upon Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba s teachings which envisage harmony between all religions and unity of all mankind without any distinction of caste, community and nationality. Swami Nikhilananda observed that ultimate goal of man s life was to know the truth and prayer was an important means to attain it. Maulana Wahiduddin Khan quoted verses from the Quran and highlighted the relevance of prayer in man s life as it helped him to evolve mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Father Dominic Emmanuel told that prayer had four phases viz., vocal, meditative, contemplative and enlightening, the last mentioned being the highest which man should try to attain. Air Chief Marshal Suri then summed up the proceedings which were followed by an enrapturing music concert. At the end of the programme, the President of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation of Delhi offered mementoes to panelists and musicians. Gujarat: Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation has conceived the idea of organising Inter School Values Festivals across the country under the guidance of the Institute of Sri Sathya Sai Education, Mumbai. One such values festival was organised by Sri Sathya Sai Schools, Gujarat from 13th -15th February 2009 after successful festivals held at Indore and Chennai. A total of 53 teachers, 212 students and 26 offi cials from seven Sai schools of Gujarat and Maharashtra participated in this three-day festival. The programmes included talks on values, group activities of students, cultural events and an inspiring rally at the historical place Dandi, associated with Satyagraha movement of Mahatma Gandhi. Haryana and Chandigarh: Bhagavan Baba s 83rd Birthday celebrations were held in all the districts of the State. The youth conducted 83- day Nagar Sankirtan on the auspicious eve of Bhagavan s 83rd Birthday. Hissar district however conducted daily Bhajans for 30 days and organised a colourful rally with Rath Yatra (chariot procession) in which Mahila (women) devotees carried 108 Kalashas (sacred vessels) on their heads. The procession passed through main bazaars of Hissar, spreading sacred vibrations with Veda chanting and Bhajan singing. Karnataka: Bangalore Rural Youth Wing of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation, Karnataka has started a self-awareness programme for rural students, named Yuva Prerana. It is a sustained programme of imparting moral education to the students of identifi ed colleges in rural areas of Bangalore and adjoining districts. A comprehensive syllabus has been drawn up in line with Bhagavan s teachings, and in the initial phase about 30 colleges have been identifi ed in which moral classes will be conducted every week. About 40 well-informed resource persons have been identifi ed 158 May 2009

33 who are visiting these institutions regularly to take up classes in the respective colleges. About 4,500 students in the age-group of 16 to 21 years, who are pursuing Pre-University, ITI, B.Ed., D.Ed. and other undergraduate courses are covered under this programme. The programme was inaugurated on 4th August 2008 and is making desired impact on the student community. So far, 178 classes have been conducted by 17 resource persons in 28 institutions. Punjab: A newly-constructed Sai Centre at Jalandhar City was inaugurated on 8th November Free coaching, youth meetings and study circles for youth of nine adopted villages are being organised in this centre. Three slums have also been adopted under SSSVIP, and 13 houses have been provided toilet. Mobile medical service is done regularly and free medicines are given to patients in these villages. At Sri Sathya Sai Rural Health Centre in Hoshiarpur district, weekly check-up of the patients is done by doctors and they are given free medicines. This centre has been running for the last eight years. Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Niketan in Bhagpur village, Hoshiarpur district is providing free education to 280 students. Easwaramma Sewing and Tailoring Centre is also running in Bhagpur with 25 students. Annual medical camp was organised at Gurdaspur, in which artifi cial limbs were provided to about 200 benefi ciaries on 16th November Some families of widows have also been adopted, to whom food provisions are provided regularly. Apart from other regular activities like Bal Vikas, Narayana Seva, Nagar Sankirtan being organised by the Patiala Sai Samithi, a medical camp was organised on 15th February Sai Samithi of Patiala organised a medical camp in village Dhamomajra on 15th February 2009, in which it provided medical services to 327 patients in adopted village Dhamomajra in Patiala district, wherein 327 patients were provided free medical check-up and medicines. Ludhiana district has adopted 10 villages, in which medical camps and veterinary camps are regularly organised. Awareness about health and hygiene is given in all villages. Expert advice of soil experts is also given to farmers. This district organised 83 Nagar Sankirtans from September to November 2008 in connection with Bhagavan s 83rd Birthday. Tamil Nadu: Sri Sathya Sai Organisation, Chennai Metro North RBI Samithi along with Arani Samithi of Tiruvannamalai district conducted an eye cataract screening camp at Panchayat Union Offi ce, Kongarampattu village on 15th February 2009 in association with Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai. A total of 203 patients were screened for various eye ailments including cataract. 53 patients were referred to Sankara Nethralaya for cataract surgery and other ailments. Food, snacks and tea were also provided to all patients at camp Continued on page May

34 Yearning for Krishna Yearning for Krishna Chinna Katha ONCE RUKMINI AND SATHYABHAMA asked Krishna, Swami! When You have such great devotees as Bhishma and Yudhishthira, then why do You give special preference to Draupadi, and always respond to her every prayer immediately? Is she such a great devotee? Krishna smiled and said gently, You will yourself come to know this secret one day. Soon after this, one day Krishna along with Rukmini and Sathyabhama went to the house of Draupadi. At that time, Draupadi was combing her hair. As her hair was very thick, she was trying hard to disentangle it. Seeing this, Krishna told Rukmini and Sathyabhama, My younger sister is having great diffi culty in disentangling her hair. Can t you help her? Immediately, both Rukmini and Sathyabhama went close to Draupadi and started combing her hair to arrange and set it right. As they combed her hair, they heard the sound Rukmini and Sathyabhama heard the sound, Krishna, Krishna from every strand of Draupadi s hair as they combed her hair. Krishna, Krishna from each strand of her hair. Struck with wonder and awe, they looked at Krishna enquiringly. As the total devotion of Draupadi for Krishna became evident to both of them, Krishna, while radiating a benign smile, just looked at them innocently as if He did not know anything.... Continued from page 159 premises. After screening, all the 53 patients were transported by a separate bus from Arani (Tiruvannamalai district) on the same day to Chennai Hospital. Surgery was performed on the patients on 17th February 2009 and patients were transported back to their homes at Arani. All the patients were provided post-operative review on 21st February 2009 at camp site in the village itself by a team of doctors who travelled from Chennai to Kongarampattu village. All patients conveyed their deep gratitude and love for Bhagavan for the immense grace shown on them for restoration of their vision. A group of 25 veterinary doctors and 20 Sai Youth participated in the veterinary camp organised by the Sai Organisation of Tamil Nadu under Sri Sathya Sai Village Integrated Programme on 4th December In all, 860 cattle were treated which included cows, buffaloes, sheep, goats, pet dogs in fi ve villages, viz., Kandigai, Manali, Errukkuvai, Serpedu and Ezhuchipuram. Baba 160 May 2009

35 NOTICE Subscribers and devotees are hereby informed that the activities hitherto carried on by the following Trusts will be now under the respective divisions of Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam , Andhra Pradesh, India. Name of the Trust Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publications Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam Sri Sathya Sai Media Foundation, Prasanthi Nilayam Sri Sathya Sai Bhakta Sahayak Sangh, Prasanthi Nilayam Easwaramma Women s Welfare Stores, Prasanthi Nilayam Name of the Division which will carry on the activities Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust, Publications Division, Prasanthi Nilayam Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust, Media Division, Prasanthi Nilayam Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust, Bhakta Sahayak Division, Prasanthi Nilayam Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust, Mahila Division, Prasanthi Nilayam All correspondence and other transactions will continue to be carried out by the same offices as were done so far, but, as respective Divisions of Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust. There is no change in postal address except the change in the name. Phone numbers, Fax, IDs and websites of the above Trusts will continue to remain the same as before. Publisher Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital, Prasanthi Nilayam hrmgh@sssihms.org.in, Phone , Fax Applications are invited for the following posts: Anaesthetist: Qualification: MD / Diploma in Anaesthesia, preferably with minimum 3 years of experience in the Department of Anaesthesiology. Junior Consultant in the Department of Paediatrics: MD / DNB + 3 years experience in the Department of Paediatrics. Pharmacist: Diploma in Pharmacy: should be registered under the Pharmacy Act Minimum of one year experience in hospitals. Pay on par with Central Government scales based on qualification and experience. Apply to the Medical Superintendent, Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital, Prasanthi Nilayam, with full Bio-data and a photograph immediately. Medical Superintendent Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital, Prasanthi Nilayam Baba

36 REGD. WITH REGISTRAR OF NEWSPAPERS R.NO.10774/58 REGN.NO. HDP/002/ Licence number Tech/HDP/RNP01/ Licenced to post without prepayment Source of Lasting Happiness The ways in which man spends his days are really ludicrous in the extreme. He craves happiness and is ever on the go in all directions in its pursuit. And, when he finds that the happiness secured by him is but a flash in the pan of misery, he starts cursing himself and others. Though all the sacred books, all the saints of all the lands and all the creeds, and all the teachers and preachers have been saying that God alone is the source and spring of lasting happiness, man turns a deaf ear to the counsel and goes his own blind way. Baba Annual Subscription English (Inland) Rs 75 (12 issues). Overseas Rs 850 or US $19 or UK 13 or 13, CAN $22, AUS $26 Acceptable for 1, 2 or 3 years. Printed and Published by K.S. RAJAN on behalf of the owner Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust, Publications Division Prasanthi Nilayam , Anantapur District (A.P.) and printed at M/s Rajhans Enterprises, 136, 4th Main Road, Industrial Town, Rajaji Nagar, Bangalore , Karnataka and published at Prasanthi Nilayam Editor: G.L. ANAND